Method of installing a drainage culvert



July 25, 1967 LOGAN ETAL 3,332,250

METHOD OF INSTALLING A DRAINAGE CULVERT Filed Feb. 12, 1965 Leonard A. Logan Joseph H. H/lf INVENTORS United States Patent 3,332,250 METHOD OF INSTALLING A DRAINAGE CULVERT Leonard A. Logan, 3305 W. Main St., and Joseph H. I-lilt, 3108 E. Anaconda Road, both of Rapid City, S. Dak. 57701 Filed Feb. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 432,358 3 Claims. (Cl. 6172.1)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The concept herein disclosed has to do with a time and labor saving method of temporarily sealing gaps which initially occur when oriented culvert pipes are positioned in an arch to progressively compensate for ultimate settlement, that is, when the pipes come to rest in a straight line, or theoretically so. Closing of the gap is achieved by covering the interlocking pipe-ends with prefabricated pipe joint tape which when bonded in place, keeps dirt out of gap, whereby to interfere with an acceptable end result.

This invention relates to joints in underground conduits and more particularly to a method of making such joints in reinforced concrete culverts and the like by means of a suitable pipe joint tape which is flexible and of a length which temporarily covers the open gap in a joint laid with allowance for camber.

This invention further relates to a flexible tape used in covering the open gap left in culvert pipe joints or the like which allows for settlingof fill placed over the joint.

The pipe joint tape of this invention is preferably made of a composition roofing which is wound on a spool, or may be made from strips of any width required by specification. The tape of this invention is designed to save time and labor involved in covering the open gap left in reinforced concrete culverts which are laid with allowance for settling of fill dirt, etc.

A primary object of the present invention is to temporarily seal the gap in drainage culverts which commonly comprise reinforced concrete pipe used for highway construction, such gap being caused by the laying of the pipes on a camber grade to allow for settling of fill material used in the highway construction. Camber is a distance a pipe will settle at the center line of a road cross section due to the weight of the fill dirt, gravel and surfacing above the pipe. Due to the fact that the pipe is laid initially on a vertical curve, a gap occurs at the top of the pipe joint.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pipe joint tape to cover the gap'occurring in the top of the reinforced concrete pipe drainage joint which is laid on a vertical curve to allow for settling of the pipe, and fill of the roadway. The pipe joint tape is designed to cover the gap during the process of back filling so that as the fill begins to settle and the pipe gradually assumes its final position there will be no material entering the gap to thereby prevent the pipe from coming to a tight joint as the pipe settles to a straight line. Since the gap which exists due to the laying of the pipe with the chamber is not large it is necessary merely to cover the upper twothirds of the pipe.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe joint tape comprising a flexible backing, composed of fabric or composition roofing or any other material of this type. The fabric backing has a plastic asphalt cement adhesive on one side thereof, and this adhesive is covered by removable cellulose protection. The cellulose protection, however, is preferably used only in those instances where the adhesive demands. The adhesive must bond both the backing and the pipe effectively.

3,332,250 Patented July 25,- 1967 ICC This strip of tape is designed to be centered over a joint and adhesively bonded by plastic asphalt cement found on one face of the strip of tape to the culvert line to hold it in place during embankment construction. The strip of tape is preferably to be used on reinforced concrete pipes or culverts, but may be used in any other place it may prove useful. The strip of tape whether it be supplied on a cylinder, spool or in strip form is manageable by one man thereby saving excess labor cost in the laying of culverts and the like.

Preferably, the tape is to be manufactured in a cylinder or spool since such manufacturing will involve a con-' siderable saving of time and would allow the right length of tape to be ready on the project. In the event that the pipe on a project was to be all of the same circumference then the tape may be manufactured in ready-made length strips, which would involve a saving of time in cutting of the tape.

Another purpose of the present invention is to keep dirt, gravel and any foreign matter out of the joints of concrete pipe or culvert which are to be covered with back fill. The strip of tape of this invention has many advantages over all methods used in covering pipes because it will allow a tongue and groove or bell and spigot concrete pipe joint or any concrete or clay pipe or culvert to settle with no damage to the pipe as the heavy load of back fill comprising dirt, gravel, concrete, bituminous, etc. is placed in the roadbed and around and over the pipe or culvert. To allow for such backfill settling the top of the pipe will have a small opening at the joint when camber is put in the pipe, which will slowly close as the load is put around and over the pipe due to settlement. The strip of tape will keep any foreign matter out of the joint allowing the pipe or culvert to come together freely.

Many state department of highways have standard specifications in regard to the laying of reinforced concrete culvert pipe, and the like. Such standard specifications normally require that there be allowed approximately one percent of the length of the culvert member as camber to take care of settlement after placing the back fill. The amount of camber is normally specified to suit the weight of fill and nature of the material, and will be as ordered by the engineer on the project. The concrete pipe culvert is to be laid with the groove or bell end of the pipe upstream, and the tongue end firmly inserted into the groove. Each joint is covered over ,the top portion of the outside circumference of the pipe, with at least a six-inch strip of composition roofing weighing not less than eight pounds per one hundred square feet. This strip is centered over the joint and cemented with a plastic asphalt cement to hold it in place during back filling. This method is used by several state and county highway departments and is also used by many city street departments.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an earth fill construction showing the fill and drainage culvert with the tape installed;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the strip of tape of this invention to be used to cover the open gap left in the pipe joint;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the fill and culvert with the tape covering the joints of the culvert taken substantially on the section line 33 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the concrete pipe joint with portions broken away.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 a reinforced concrete pipe culvert is laid on a vertical curve or with camber on fill dirt 12, and allowing for settling of the pipe as the back fill 14 placed on top of the culvert settles and causes the pipe to come to a straight line. The open gap 16 in the top portion of the joints of the reinforced concrete pipe is covered with a wrapping or tape 18, which comprises a backing 20 of fabric, or composition roofing, or the like and an adhesive covering 22 on one face of the tape, Which comprises preferably plastic asphalt cement. The concrete pipe 10 is laid with the bell 24 in an upstream direction and groove 26 in an upstream direction and the tongue 28 downstream. The tongue 28 of one reinforced concrete pipe is received in the groove 26 in an adjacent pipe.

In one embodiment of this invention two strips of backing 20 are provided with an adhesive binding 22 therebetween. When the tape backings 20 are separated as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2 two strips of tape having a backing and an adhesive on one face thereof will be provided of a given length. The adhesive binding preferably consists of plastic asphalt cement. In another embodiment the tape comprises a backing 26 having adhesive 22 on one face thereof, and the adhesive is covered with a strippable celluose removable liner to thereby protect the adhesive.

In using the tape of this invention first the concrete pipe or the like is laid according to specifications on a particular grade with a vertical curve or camber, and a gap is thus formed in the upper portion of the joint. The gap is then covered by the tape of this invention. When the tape used is in the form shown in FIGURE 2 a length of tape is first taken from a spool on which the tape is wound and cut to the desired length, or in the event that a strip of the desired length is already provided that strip is taken and the tape backing 20 are separated one from the other as is illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 2, whereby two strips of tape of the desired length are then obtained. The strips are then positioned over the upper two-thirds or three-quarters of the pipe joint, as is re quired by specifications to cover the gap in the joints, and prevent foreign matter from lodging in the joints when backfill is placed over the culvert. In the event the alternative embodiment is used, a strip of tape is obtained either from a spool by cutting the desired strip length, or by taking a strip already cut to the desired length, and removing the removable liner from the back side of the tape to thereby obtain a tape having a backing 20 and an adhesive 22 thereon. This tape is then placed over the upper portion of the pipe joint which has a gap 16 therein to allow for settling of the pipe. The tape is placed on the joint with the adhesive lying against the top of the culvert and securing the tape over the gap and the pipe together with the tape covering is covered with backfill. Thereafter, as the fill settles the pipe sections will come to a straight line with the pipe joints being tightly secured together since the tape will prevent foreign material from lodging within the gaps provided in the top portion of the pipe culvert joints,

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. The method of installing a drainage culvert which is adapted when in use to extend transversely across a road in a predetermined plane below the level of the completed bed of the road and wherein said culvert is adapted to be constructed from a plurality of like reinforced pipe sections having conventional-type tongue-andgroove ends, wherein said pipe sections are laid in end to end communicating alignment with their grooved ends directed upstream and the interlocking tongue-equipped ends fitting telescopingly but firmly into their respectively cooperating and articulating grooved ends, and wherein certain of the pipe sections between constant endmost coaxial end pipe sections are positioned to define an arch with the upper three-quarter portions of the then existing joints having terminal portions spaced to define prescribed compensating gaps having the capability of gradually closing to permit progressive settling of the over-all culvert following completion of the customary backfilling step and ultimate descent of the pipe sections to an at rest level with the over-all ends of the pipe sections firmly abutting each other, and wherein and preparatory to covering the respective gaps with backfill material, each such gap is covered to prevent any of the backfill material from entering and lodging itself in said gap in a manner that would prevent the arched pipe sections from coming to rest in a substantially straight line, and wherein the means for covering each gap comprises a prefabricated tape of a length to span the aforementioned threequarter upper portion and of a width to amply bridge the gap, said tape being flexible and the attachable surface of said tape being coated with pressure sensitive adhesive material capable of bonding the tape in place without interfering with the ultimate closing of the gap at the final settling stage of said culvert.

2. The method steps according to claim 1, and wherein the width dimension of said tape is relatively narrow and such that the longitudinal edge portions are bonded in place on the respective pipe section ends that only gap and joint are covered.

3. The method defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said adhesive coating is characterized by plastic asphalt cement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,259,833 3/1918 Burns.

2,317,596 4/ 1943 Fischer 156247 2,738,745 3/1956 Harpold 6l72.1 3,111,787 11/1963 Chamberlain 156-337 X 3,131,541 5/1964 Guthrie 6172.1 X 3,135,647 6/1964 Wheeley 156-247 X EARL J. WITMER, Primary Examiner, 

1. THE METHOD OF INSTALLING A DRAINAGE CULVERT WHICH IS ADAPTED WHEN IN USE TO EXTEND TRANSVERSELY ACROSS A ROAD IN A PREDETERMINED PLANE BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE COMPLETED BED OF THE ROAD AND WHEREIN SAID CULVERT IS ADAPTED TO BE CONSTRUCTED FROM A PLURALITY OF LIKE REINFORCED PIPE SECTIONS HAVING CONVENTIONAL-TYPE TONGUE-ANDGROOVE ENDS, WHEREIN SAID PIPE SECTIONS ARE LAID IN END TO END COMMUNICATING ALIGNMENT WITH THEIR GROOVED ENDS DIRECTED UPSTREAM AND THE INTERLOCKING TONGUE-EQUIPPED ENDS FITTING TELESCOPINGLY BUT FIRMLY INTO THEIR RESPECTIVELY COOPERATING AND ARTICULATING GROOVED ENDS, SAID WHEREIN CERTAIN OF THE PIPE SECTIONS BETWEEN CONSTANT ENDMOST COAXIAL END PIPE SECTIONS ARE POSITIONED TO DEFINE AN ARCH WITH THE UPPER THREE-QUARTER PORTIONS OF THE THEN EXISTING JOINTS HAVING TERMINAL PORTIONS SPACED TO DEFINE PRESCRIBED COMPENSATING GAPS HAVING THE CAPABILITY OF GRADUALLY CLOSING TO PERMIT PROGRESSIVE SETTLING OF THE OVER-ALL CULVERT FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE CUSTOMARY BACKFILLING STEP AND ULTIMATE DESCENT OF THE PIPE SECTIONS TO AN AT REST LEVEL WITH THE OVER-ALL ENDS OF THE PIPE SECTIONS FIRMLY ABUTTING EACH OTHER, AND WHEREIN AND PREPARATORY TO COVERING THE RESPECTIVE GAPS WITH BACKFILL MATERIAL, EACH SUCH GAP IS COVERED TO PREVENT ANY OF THE BACKFILL MATERIAL FROM ENTERING AND LODGING ITSELF IN SAID GAP IN A MANNER THAT WOULD PREVENT THE ARCHED PIPE SECTIONS FROM COMING TO REST IN A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT LINE, AND WHEREIN THE MEANS FOR COVERING EACH GAP COMPRISES A PREFABRICATED TAPE OF A LENGTH TO SPAN THE AFOREMENTIONED THREEQUARTER UPPER PORTION AND OF A WIDTH TO AMPLY BRIDGE THE GAP, SAID TAPE BEING FLEXIBLE AND THE ATTACHABLE SURFACE OF SAID TAPE BEING COATED WITH PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE MATERIAL CAPABLE OF BONDING THE TAPE IN PLACE WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH THE ULTIMATE CLOSING OF THE GAP AT THE FINAL SETTLING STAGE OF SAID CULVERT. 